Larrivee C-10

Made in 1996.Has some special abalone inlaid in the Headstock and Bridge(some sort of in store custom ordering I think).Made in Canada,all solid woods.

When I first got it home I really started to not like the guitar as it just sounded too different when I changed strings.I basically put it away in the case for the next several years(always keeping it properly humidified)and played it rarely for a few minutes at a time.In the past few months I have begun to play it regularly and it has developed into a tone monster.The bass is stunning for a cutaway acoustic.The volume is so loud it can be overwhelming.The sustain is the really amazing feature.Strike a "G" chord,set it down and walk away.It just keeps on ringin!

The action was too high from the factory.Still is because there is no shop close to me I would trust to adjust it for me without driving 3 hours.So I'll just leave it as is for now.The 2 piece back is so closely joined that I had to email Larrivee to ask if somehow a 1 piece Rosewood back got glued to this guitar!

This guitar seems built to last a lifetime of use with good care.The more I play it the more alive it becomes.

I asked Larrivee a few questions via e-mail and received prompt responses.

I also own a Martin HD-28.I have been playing on and off for 25 years.I would probably buy an OM instead of the same model if it were available.The sound is it's best feature,and the spruce top is starting to darken to a wonderful light orange color.When I bought it I played at least 25 other guitars from a half dozen different makers.What sold me was the beauty of the inlays.I actually went to Wildwood to buy a Martin!

Purchased new from Guitar Emporium Ballard WA 1 cant say enough about both the guitar and the guy I bought it from. Rob the owner of Guitar Emporium in Seattle was very patient with me visiting and playing this C10 dozens of times before I made the leap of faith. I was on the rebound from a divorce and I fell in love (relax Rob, with the guitar!) This C10 cutaway that plays as beautifully as looks. Abalone inlays in the neck, mother of pearl, abalone, and silver in the Seahorse design/headstock. The top is an apricot colored spruce and an rosewood with rare but naturally occuring leopard spots from natural oils in the wood. I played this at an mike following the 3rd runner up in the National Fingerpicking contest in Winfield Kansas, and he said " that freakin thing sounds like a god damned piano!". I would say that is a fair testimonial to how incredible it sounds. It has only gotten better with age (purcashed in 1995 for $2800.)I added an EMG mike and a Baggs bridge pickup using a Alex digital effects processor and a Rane AP13 acoustic preamp. Oh my god! This makes even the most average musician sound like a pro. My brother was so impressed he bought a lefty of the same model from Rob and he never played before. OK enough of the mushy stuff.

I flat pick and finger style. Every thing sounds good on this baby!

The action was too high form the factory. After having it intonated it has a stobborn buzz on the low E when flat picked open. I have been too lazy to get it taken care of.

Read the customer support testimonial and you'll see!

Tragedy strikes! My C10 was on a wall hanger that pulled out one day and it landed on the srap button severley splitting the base, split the back and buckled the top. I was ready to back over it with the car and call myself permanently single. I consulted Rob who contacted Larrivee and send my badly damaged baby of to its maker. After 4 months I received it back fully repaired and suffered no sound degredation and can barely tell (on the back) that it had been repaired. Thanks to Rob and Larrivee for going the extra mile in every way. "Play what you like and like what you play " is my motto.

I have been playing for 26 years and have had many guitars but none as impressive as this. If I needed another acoustic I would buy only one Guitar (Larrivee) and buy it from Rob at Guitar Emporium regardless of were I lived. I have played Taylors, Martins, you name it. Larrive and I, till death do us part!

A beautiful looking and sounding guitar! Very fancy looking with a lot of inlays. I wanted mine without electronics because I wanted to put a Highlander system in it. Solid rosewood and spruce. Dovetail neck fit. Pretty nice case, but scuffs easily. Came with some picks and a cleaning cloth.

I love the tone of this guitar. Probably one of the most pleasant sounding guitars I have played. Not booming like a dreadnought, but nice and ballanced. Great for finger style

Here's where the honeymoon ends. I went through two C-10's and one LV-10E before Larrivee finally got me a guitar worth keeping! The set up was great and the sound was great, but it definitely had some serious flaws. I bought it knowing that there was a slight separation with the binding and the neck. I was given a discounted price because of this blemish. I took it to a local luthier to have the pickup installed and he told me that he would not install the pickup because the neck was separting from the body. (so much for a fine dove tail neck joint!) I sent it back, no problem, Larrivee fixed it. A few weeks later I noticed that the finish had cracked on the upper bout where they clamped it. I sent it back AGAIN, and they replaced the guitar. My new C-10 had problems of its own. The neck was considerbly wider, and the ablolone had a pretty noticable bleed around the body. Larrivee AGAIN agreed to replace this second guitar!
Since the C-10 was no longer a standard model, they agreed to replace it with an LV-10E. It was nice of them to include the blender system since all I had in the C-10 was my Highlander pickup. My LV-10E is fine, except the neck is a little wide.

so far so good. It seems to made with high-quality woods and hardware.

The person I spoke and dealt with most the time was outstanding. I think he really felt badly for me. I do however question there sales tactics. I bought the guitar at Wildwood Music in Coshocton Ohio, and I am confident that they bought this guitar at a reduced rate from Larrivee as a factory second. In fact, I was told so by someone at Larrivee. Both Wildwood and higher level Larrivee people deny this. I did contact two other Larrivee dealers, one in Ohio and one in Oklahoma, and one has actually purchased and sold factory seconds and the other turned them down.
Larrivee is however very helpful if you have any problems with their instruments, factory seconds or not.

I love my LV-10E. I think my first C-10 was the best sounding of them all. I feel they are very sturdy, and will last a lifetime.
I don't think I would every buy another Larrivee again because I don't trust them. It is imposible to be sure you are not buying a factory second. If you do buy one, inspect it very closely. They are an incredible value if you can find a good one. I feel they sound better than any Taylor I have played.
***Please remember I bought my original C-10 over two years ago, so Larrivee policy with reguards to factory seconds could have changed since then.

My original C-10 was probably made in the late '90's and I purchased it at Wildwood Music in Coshocton Ohio.
Nice guitar. Solid rosewood, solid spruce, and nice inlay.
I didn't get one with a pickup because I wanted to install a Highlander system.

It had a great ballanced tone. Probably one of the best sounding acoustic guitars I have heard

Action was good, fit and finish, well, not so hot.
I was told at the store that there was a cosmetic flaw with the guitar where the body joined the neck. They didn't think it was anything serious, and gave me a discount on the guitar reassuring me that I could send it back for warranty work if I really felt the need to. I ended up having a local luthier look at it and he would not install the pickup I purchased and recommended that I send it back because the neck was lifting from the body. I contacted Larrivee, they payed for shipping, repaired the guitar and shipped it back. After a week or so I noticed that the finish was beginnning to crack; I presume where they clamped it togther when they repaired it. I contacted Larrivee, sent it back; and this time they replaced it with another C-10. Once I received my new C-10 I noticed that the neck was wider on this one, and the abalone had bleed on the body. I tried to like it, but the neck was just too wide so I contacted them again, and they agreed to take it back, take a look at it and get back with me. Once they received it, they told me that the guitar should never have been shipped because of the abolone bleed. They said that they would replace it, but by this time the C-10 was a special order, so they agreed to replace it with a LV-10E. I got the electronics because I had already installed a pickup in my C-10, so they agreed to send me a guitar with the upgrarded Fishman Blender.

Obviously I had a terrible experience with my first two C-10's but so far my LV-10E is great. The tone is different, but I think this one will last.

The individual who I worked with at Larrivee was great. I'm not sure I would ever buy another guitar from them because of this encounter. I found out from Larrivee that my guitar was sold as a factory second to Wildwood Music at a discounted price with warranty. A higher level Larrivee employee told me that Larrivee does not sell factory seconds. I heard from two separate Larrivee dealers in two separate states and one of them told me that they sometimes get factory seconds from Larrivee, and the other said that he was offered factory seconds, but didn't want to deal with them.

I feel Wildwood Music knew they sold me a second. They even pointed out the flaw to me. I would be leary buying another Larrivee unless I checked it out very closely to ensure there were no flaws on it. I am surprised by my experience with Larrivee guitars. I hope that my experience is the exception. I enjoy the sound of this guitar, much different than a big Martin, but the neck is still a little wide and uncomfortable for me. My wife has a Larrive 000 size guitar which has a more comfortable neck. This guitar is great for fingerstyle and softer stuff, but I'll stick with my Martin for hard strumming

Beautiful low cutaway guitar. Intricate head and neck.

Warm sound is the best description.

Tough! I live in dry West Texas and travel to Houston where it is humid. I haved owned Taylors and Martins and this Larrivee can handle the stress in change of climate. Taylors are the worst and a pain to deal with when it comes to weather changes.

I've been to the Larrivee factory.

My favorite acoustic guitar. Easy on both the eyes and ears.